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Memorial Sloan Kettering neurosurgeon Ori Barzilai

Ori Barzilai, MD

Spine Neurosurgeon

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Primary and Metastatic Spinal Tumors
  • Complex Reconstruction and Stabilization of the Spine
  • Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
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Dr. Barzilai's Office Information
Languages: English & Hebrew

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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Director of Minimally Invasive Spine Oncology
Get To Know Me

I am a neurosurgeon who specializes in caring for people with primary spine tumors or cancer that has spread to the spine from other parts of the body. I have specialty training in using leading-edge surgical methods to treat spinal tumors and degenerative disorders. These include minimally invasive techniques, spinal endoscopy, image guidance, and robotics. Advanced approaches allow me to remove tumors with the highest level of precision while making the lowest impact on my patients’ quality of life.

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As a member of MSK’s Multidisciplinary Spine Tumor Center, I work with a team of specialists, including radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, pain specialists, rehabilitation specialists, and medical oncologists. Providing our patients with comprehensive care requires a true team approach. At MSK, our vast experience and expertise make us uniquely suited to do this. For example, by combining surgery with radiosurgery and targeted therapies, we have revolutionized the way we treat spine tumors. In some instances, we are even able to offer our patients surgical strategies that won’t require them to be admitted to the hospital.

I am also involved in clinical research to improve treatments for spine tumors. I am particularly focused on patient outcomes and developing new therapies and technologies. My current work involves looking for ways to make systemic therapies, such as immunotherapy, more effective in treating spine tumors.  

A cancer diagnosis can cause a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty. The thought of having to undergo spinal surgery can make these concerns worse. When I meet with patients and their loved ones, I truly listen to them and hear their expectations, goals, and fears before we agree on a clear treatment plan together. I hope that after seeing me they feel safe, calm, and confident with their care team.  

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and children. We love to travel and go to the beach. I am an avid runner, a passionate soccer fan, and an unexceptional guitar player.

My Role at MSK

A spine neurosurgeon is a doctor with special training in surgery on the spine.

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Primary and Metastatic Spinal Tumors
  • Complex Reconstruction and Stabilization of the Spine
  • Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
  • Degenerative Spinal Disorders
  • Endoscopic Spinal Surgery
  • Intradural Tumors
  • Tumors of the Spinal Cord
  • Neurofibromatosis
  • Schwannomatosis
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, Tel Aviv University

Residencies

  • Neurological Surgery – Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

Awards and Honors

  • Globus Spine Fellow Award (2017)

Fellowships

  • Spine Oncology – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Board Certifications

  • Neurological Surgery (Israel)

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (MTA retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Anthem BCBS and other BCBS licensee plans

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

See updates

Anthem BCBS Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

See updates

Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

See updates

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

See updates

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

See updates

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage (Medicare Choice PPO Network and VIP Prime Network Only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

See updates

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

See updates

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

Make an Appointment

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Current Patients

Request an appointment by logging on to MyMSK or calling your doctor’s office. If you aren’t registered for MyMSK, call 646-227-2593 for your Enrollment ID.

Contact and Location

Dr. Barzilai sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue New York NY 10065
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Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

See all Neurosurgery doctors

Clinical Trials

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Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

Search clinical trials

Research and Publications

Barzilai O, Laufer I, Yamada Y, Higginson DS, Schmitt AM, Lis E, Bilsky MH. Integrating Evidence-Based Medicine for Treatment of Spinal Metastases Into a Decision Framework: Neurologic, Oncologic, Mechanicals Stability, and Systemic Disease. J Clin Oncol. 2017 Jul 20;35(21):2419-2427.

Barzilai O, Laufer I, Robin A, Xu R, Yamada Y, Bilsky M. Hybrid Therapy for Metastatic Epidural Spinal Cord Compression: Technique for Separation Surgery and Spine Radiosurgery. Neurosurgery (suppl: Operative  Neurosurgery)

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Barzilai O, Amato MK, McLaughlin L, Reiner AS, Ogilvie SQ, Lis E, Yamada Y, Bilsky MH, Laufer I. Hybrid surgery–radiosurgery therapy for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression: A prospective evaluation using patient-reported outcomes. Neuro-Oncology Practice. 2017 Jul 22.

Barzilai O, Lidar Z, Constantini S, Salame K, Bitan-Talmor Y, Korn A. Continuous mapping of the corticospinal tracts in intramedullary spinal cord tumor surgery using an electrified ultrasonic aspirator. J Neurosurg Spine. 2017 Aug;27(2):161-168.

Sowash M, Barzilai O, Kahn S, McLaughlin L, Boland P, Bilsky MH, Laufer I. Clinical outcomes following resection of giant spinal schwannomas: a case series of 32 patients. J Neurosurg Spine. 2017 Apr;26(4):494-500.

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Barzilai’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Ori Barzilai discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

No disclosures meeting criteria for time period


If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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